Diving gear



Oct. 25, 1949. Q T, MORROW 2,485,908

DIVING GEAR FiledMaroh 26, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 C. T. MORROW Oct. 25,1949.

DIVING GEAR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 26, 1946 i GUAM/WWW y Mm@ M.

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Patented Oct. 25, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DIVING GEARApplication March 26, 1946, Serial No. 657,287

(Cl. 12S-142) 1 Claim.

This invention relates to diving gear and more particularly tounderwater masks or helmets furnished with communication equipment.

Masks suitable for shallow-Water diving have been designed, making useof a flexible rubberized material fastened to a rigid metal framecarrying an observation panel. In using a microphone with a device ofthis character, it-has been found that air supplied through an inputvalve creates an undesirably high noise level. Likewise, the exhaustingof the air also creates troublesome noise and vibration developingespecially from the formation of relatively large bubbles at the outsideof the mask. Also, the air exhausting from a diving helmet creates anexcessive amount of noise at the divers ears and at any microphone usedWithin the helmet.

Some objects of the invention, therefore, are to improve communicationsin helmets of the character referred to, to devise means for silencingnoise arising in connection with the input of air into a mask and alsoexhausting of air from a mask or helmet, and to devise means forreducing the size of the exhaust bubbles. Other objects and novelfeatures will appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front-elevational View of a mask for shallow-water diving;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side-elevational View;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of silencing means of the invention asapplied to a mask;

Fig. 4 is a plan View illustrating the housing for the silencer withexhaust Valve seat.

Fig. 5 is a plan View showing the perforated outer casing;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional View; and

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate a modication of the invention.

The improved mask construction of the invention comprises muiiler meansconnected into the input air supply line of the helmet together with asecond muiller which is connected into the exhaust line leading from thehelmet. The two mufllers are of substantially conventional design andare combined side by side in a single housing mounted at the top of thehelmet frame. In addition, the exhaust air, after passing through themuiller, is caused to pass through an outer casing which is perforatedwith tiny holes to cause the escaping air to form relatively smallbubbles. The relatively small bubbles create less noise and vibration inpassing away from the helmet.

Referring to the drawings, l0 denotes a frame edged with rubber which issecured against the bare face or against a diving-dress hood I2 formedof ilexible water-repellent material and fragmentarily indicated in Fig.2 oi the drawings. The frame I0 is adapted to carry a window orobservation panel 29 for the diver. Air pumped into the helmet iscontrolled by a hand-operated valve I4 which is connected to a mufflermember I6 extending transversely along the top of the frame I9. Themuiiler is of conventional design well known to those skilled in theart, and involves the usual tubular conduit provided with a plurality ofseparated slots through which sound passes and is thus dissipated (Fig.3). For a description of the construction and operation of conventionaltypes of muiilers, see pages 238 and 239 of The Gasoline Automobile, byElliot et al., published by the McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc.,copyrighted 1939; and pages 260, 261 and 262 of Elements of AutomotiveMechanics, by Joseph Heitner et al., published by the D. Van NostrandCompany, Inc., copyrighted 1943. Air coming from the muiiler I6 is ledinto the helmet through a tubing I8 as indicated in Fig. 1. There isthus obtained substantial reduction in noise from air passing from theinput valve I4 and into the mask.

Exhaust air passes out through the side of the frame I0 through thetubing 20, which leads to a second muiiler member 22, as may be seen inFigs. 4, 5, and 6. The muiler 22 is located closely adjacent to themuler I6, surrounded by a housing in the manner indicated. Air passingtherethrough escapes by means of a conventional exhaust valve 24commonly employed in underwater helmet equipment. Valve 24 may comprisea rigid member 24a and a flexible member 24e. The rigid member 24acontains a number of openings or perforations 24h. The flexible memberis usually made of rubber or similar material. During operation, whenthe mask is in use below the surface of the water, the flexible memberor flap ilutters between an open and closed condition. That is, when thewater pressure external to the mask exceeds the air pressure within themask, the flexible member is forced against the rigid member thusforming a water-tight seal; when the air pressure Within the maskexceeds the external water pressure, as happens to be the case duringexhalation, air is forced from within the mask through perforations 24h,forcing the exible edges of member 24c open and discharges into thewater. Valve 24 may also be of the type described by Asari in UnitedStates Patent No. 2,168,695.

As the exhaust air leaves the valve 24, it passes into an outer chamberdened by a casing member 2B which is of oval cross-section and whichextends around the housing in the manner indicated in Fig. 4. The casing2B is perforated to provide a multiplicity of tiny openings 28 throughwhich air coming from the exhaust valve 24 is allowed to escape in theform of tiny bubbles. The small apertures are effective in maintainingthe size of the bubbles at a minimum. These bubbles as they pass awayfrom the helmet produce much less noise and vibration than occurs whenrelatively large bubbles are formed and allowed to pass by the side ofthe mask. It should also be observed that the muiller 22 is interposedbetween the helmet chamber and the exhaust valve 24, an arrangementwhich excludes the sound of exhausted air from passing back to theearphones in the helmet; the combined effect of reducing noise frominput air, exhausted air, and bubble formation, makes possible moreeiicient communication Without distortion or other difficultiesresulting from the microphone being displaced relative to the mouth ofthe operator. The arrangement of the two mufflers within a singlehousing provides a compact and eilicient mounting which is particularlysuitable for the metal frame common to masks of the character described.Release of bubbles in the manner described is carried out at the highestpoint along the frame, thus preventing obstruction of view by the streamof bubbles.

It is intended that various modifications of the invention may beresorted to, both in the shape and design of the muiller mountings andin the g means for small bubble formation. As illustrative of one othersuch modication of the invention, I have illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 anexhaust silencer for exhausting bubbles at the back of the head or otherpart of the body of the diver, as will appear from an inspection of thegures referred to. Essentially, the modification consists in a housing30 which is somewhat cup-shaped and adapted to be secured in theflexible material of the helmet in some convenient manner, Thecup-shaped member may, if desired, be provided with a sponge rubbermounting for better t and comfort features, or a diving dress, if usedwith the silencer, may be made to contain a sponge rubber cushion. Thesilencer may be mounted on the diver by the same straps that hold theVil) mask in position, or by other means may be fastened on the outsideof a diving helmet.

Mounted in the housing 30 is a rnulier member 32 connecting with exhaustvalve 34. The exhaust outlet is connected to the front of the mask by aconduit such as a length of rubber hose (not shown). Openings areprovided in the housing in the manner already noted to cause the exhaustair to pass away in the form of tiny bubbles. Location of the muiilerunit at the back of the head tends further to decrease noise effects andto prevent obscuring of the vision by the exhaust air bubbles. Aseparate muffler may be used if necessary for the intake air.

While I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, variousother modifications may invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I` claim is:

A helmet for shallow-Water diving, comprisingi a hood, a frame membersecured to the hood, said frame member including an observation panel,means for supplying air into the helmet through a control valve, a rstmuler means for silencing noise arising from air moving through thevalve member, an exhaust valve for releasing exhaled air, a second mulermeans .for silencing the exhaust air, a perforated casing for housingsaid first and second muiller means, said perforated casing secured tosaid frame member, whereby said exhaust air on being released from saidexhaust muffler passes through said perforations to eifect the formationof small bubbles in the water.

CHARLES T. MORROW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 807,322 Selden Dec. 12, 19051,251,655 Gunnarson Jan. 1, 1918 1,253,485 Gunnarson Jan. 15, 19181,376,263 Emerson Apr. 26, 1921 1,807,512 Culp May 26, 19.31 1,990,249Pieron Feb. 5, 1935 2,168,695 Asari Aug. 8, 1939

